Tag Archives: recovery and wellness

Inpatient Rehab for Addiction

Has your addiction left you feeling helpless with no way out? Has your loved one’s addiction made them unrecognizable? We understand what you are experiencing and are here to help! Harmony Ridge Recovery Center’s inpatient rehab for addiction program provides comprehensive care for individuals who are seeking help for their substance dependency. Our remarkable highly structured residential rehab program provides attentive and supportive medical and emotional attention during care while maintaining a calm and serene environment. Inpatient rehab for addiction is perfectly designed for those wishing to overcome their addiction in a longer-term holistic treatment setting. Take a minute to read what you need to know about inpatient rehab for addiction with Harmony Ridge Recovery Center.

What does Inpatient Rehab Mean?

Inpatient rehab is also called residential rehab because you live at the rehab facility. Inpatient rehab can be effective for people with severe problems with drugs or alcohol, and especially people who are dealing with other mental health conditions. Living at the rehab program facility helps you avoid the temptations and influences in your daily life that trigger your substance use. Living in a healthy environment supports your recovery.

Inpatient rehab treatment programs offer a high level of care, which often includes:

24-hour supervision and support in a safe environment.
Time away from your home environment to concentrate on your well-being.
Behavioral therapies (e.g., individual, family, group).
Medication-assisted therapy.
Medically assisted detoxification (detox).
Services to address any significant social, vocational, and legal issues.
Access to medical and mental health care services, when needed.

When is Inpatient Rehab for Addiction Necessary?

Choosing to change your relationship with drugs or alcohol is an essential first step toward recovery. But recovery is a process. A process that drug and alcohol rehab programs can help you through.

There are many types of substance use treatments, including detox, therapy, and counseling. These fit into two categories: outpatient and inpatient rehab. Your needs and the severity of your substance use problem will help determine which type of rehab is best for you. Both outpatient and inpatient rehab will help you stop using drugs or alcohol and reduce the risk of using them again after your recovery. One type of rehab is not better or more effective than the other. What’s different about them is the setting and what works best for you and your personal situation.

Preparing For Inpatient Rehab

It’s important to properly prepare for rehab. There’s no set amount of time needed to prepare for treatment. It is important to set an entry date for rehab and to have affairs settled before that date.

Some of the things to take care of before entering rehab include:

Talking to your employer
Finding living arrangements for children or other family members
Planning how to get to and from the rehab center
Finding out what personal items are allowed

What to Pack for Inpatient Rehab for Addiction

One concern you might have is what to pack for your stay. A quick look at your chosen treatment center’s website can provide you with a basic list of what to bring and what to leave at home, but there are certain items you can bring to make your stay more like home.

Comfortable Clothes and Sneakers: This one might seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised by the number of people who treat rehab like a fashion show or a night out at the club. Tight, revealing clothes send out the wrong message and can be a major distraction, hindering your ability to get work done. Once you get settled in, chances are you’ll just want to rock sweatpants every day, anyway. Additionally, a lot of treatment centers take you to the gym, and it’s pretty difficult to work out in tight jeans and high heels.
Paper List of Important Phone Numbers: This is pretty self-explanatory. Odds are you aren’t going to have access to your personal phone to get any numbers out of it that you may need. Before you check in, take a few minutes to jot down your important contacts.
Alcohol-Free Toiletries:Believe it or not, things like hand sanitizer and hairspray are high on the contraband list. These prohibited items contain denatured alcohol, which is ethyl alcohol before it’s chemically altered.
More Cigarettes Than You Typically Smoke: If you smoke one pack per day in the outside world, chances are you’ll smoke more in rehab. Even though a large portion of your day will be taken up by group therapy, individual therapy, meetings, and recreational activities, there’s still plenty of downtime. People frequently find themselves outside socializing and smoking when there’s not much going on.

How Our Residential Treatment Program Works

Residential drug and alcohol rehab begins with a full evaluation of each patient’s needs in regards to their specific circumstances. After an evaluation is fully performed, an evidence-based and outcome-focused treatment plan is prepared for each individual. These plans are uniquely created and modified by our licensed and experienced clinical and medical staff. Our patients will receive care and treatment according to these plans throughout their time with us.

Operating under 24-hour medical and clinical supervision, our residential treatment program encompasses a daily schedule for our patients to follow. Each patient will begin their day within their specified living quarters and then be able to head out to our clinical building for their daily treatment to commence.

Each patient is given the opportunity to follow a highly structured individualized program designed to specifically treat the underlying causes that have fueled their addiction. This typically requires individuals to be open about their triggers, environmental stressors, coping mechanisms, or underlying dual diagnosis. By openly communicating and addressing these concerns in a place where safety and security are of the highest priority, the rehabilitation process begins to take shape.

During The Day Inpatient Rehab for Addiction

Throughout the day, during periods of downtime, patients are welcomed and encouraged to enjoy a variety of outdoor activities, take a swim in our indoor pool, or even take some private time to reflect upon the day’s activities, lessons, accomplishments, and words of encouragement.

Since rehabilitation is a unique journey, patients respond to sharing and learning during treatment in different ways. In some cases, patients will take time alone, appreciating the time to reflect silently. Other times, the comfort and support of their peers will be something to look forward to in between therapy or group sharing sessions.

What is the Difference Between Inpatient and Residential Treatment?

Though the concepts of inpatient and residential treatment often overlap, the term inpatient sometimes can reference a more clinically intensive treatment versus residential settings. Both require the person to stay overnight in the facility with monitoring and support, though inpatient efforts may focus more on medically managing detoxification, addressing certain medical issues, and providing services for emotional, behavioral, or mental health conditions.

With this distinction in mind, a period of inpatient detox and medical withdrawal management may be shorter than the full length of stay in ongoing residential treatment. Though treatment times will vary for each individual, such a period of relatively intensive inpatient treatment might be expected to last from a few days to a few weeks. On the other hand, residential care may more commonly last from a few weeks to several months depending on the needs of the individual.

Get the Right Mindset for Success

Early recovery is a time that involves many emotions for many reasons. Withdrawal symptoms, insomnia, major life changes, nutritional deficiencies, facing past traumas, and cravings make early recovery very difficult. The recovering addict is working hard to get sober, but the first couple of months are full of anxiety, fear, anger, sadness, and loss. Recovery is hard work, and it is a choice that must be made and worked toward every single day. Individuals often end up feeling exhausted both mentally and physically as they work toward getting sober and learning healthy ways to cope with negative emotions. However, it is possible to stay positive even on the hard days.

Even those who attend rehab of their own volition will sometimes develop toxic attitudes. They may believe that they’re different from the other patients, and that they don’t really need to bother with all of the counseling, group work, and other therapies. However, this kind of bad mindset leads to unsuccessful recoveries. It’s crucial that addicts approach their recoveries with open minds and positive attitudes.

Inpatient Rehab for Addiction with Harmony Ridge Recovery

Making the decision to incorporate Inpatient Rehab for Addiction on your road to recovery could be the best decision you make for yourself or a loved one today. Following and learning the methods used by so many patients who have achieved and maintained their life with sobriety can make all the difference in how you view your rehabilitation.

Being provided with the care you deserve in a facility like Harmony Ridge, surrounded by the encouragement of trained medical staff as well as a community of your peers, will only add to the quality of life that is on the road ahead. Don’t wait another minute to reach out and get the information you need to become a part of our rehabilitation and recovery community. We look forward to sharing in your recovery journey toward a life of sobriety, giving you the courage to leave addiction behind everyday moving forward. Contact us today.

Self-Care and Recovery

You’ve likely heard the phrase, “You can’t pour from an empty cup” before but how often do you apply this to your life? The only way to be at peace with yourself is by embracing the numerous responsibilities and taking some time to focus on what is essential. This includes self-care and recovery.

If you think you’ve been hearing more about self-care now, you’re right. One indicator: According to Google Trends, the number of searches for “self-care” has more than doubled since 2015. Although prioritizing self-care may sound like common sense, especially if you’re considering longevity, it’s often the first thing to go when we find ourselves in challenging situations, whether because of bad health, a financial crisis, job loss, divorce, or, in our current situation, the COVID-19 pandemic. This is why it is important to keep it top of mind and not an after-thought, especially when we find ourselves in challenging times during recovery.

Although most treatment programs provide aftercare services, such as referrals to community resources, individuals in recovery are ultimately responsible for their own lives. Support is important, but self-care is essential. In the end, we are responsible for our own happiness and sobriety. Today we will take a closer look at self-care and recovery, and what you can do to cultivate a self-care practice that works best for YOU!

Why is Self-Care Important?

Addiction negatively affects your mood, motivation, self-perception, and sense of well-being. Most people initially abuse drugs or alcohol to reduce stress, cope with negative emotions, escape boredom, or reward themselves. Once an addiction develops, stress, negative emotions, and boredom become major triggers for using. Burning the candle at both ends, so to speak, comes with significant consequences, which may include but are not limited to burnout, depression, anxiety, resentment, and a whole host of other negative implications.

On the other hand, a high level of self-care helps you maintain a stable mood, and it leads to more energy and motivation and better-coping abilities. Just one small act of self-care can snowball, leading to other healthy decisions that give you self-confidence and improve your sense of health and well-being.

H.A.L.T for Self-Care and Recovery

The very definition of halt means to stop. This halt acronym is often used in recovery to serve as a reminder to stop, take a minute and evaluate what you are feeling that could be triggering a craving or urge to use substances. Understanding your thoughts and emotions will help you to counteract an urge when it arises. Ask yourself, are you hungry, angry, lonely, or tired (H.A.L.T)?

The feelings of hunger, anger, loneliness, or tiredness are often common triggers that could lead to relapse. These are oftentimes the best places to start when considering how to provide yourself with the self-care you need during recovery. It seems simple enough, but we are susceptible to self-destructive behaviors when these basic needs are not met, including relapse. Fortunately, hunger, anger, loneliness, and tiredness are easy to address and serve as a warning system before things reach a breaking point.

Using “H.A.L.T.” in everyday life is one way everyone, recovering addicts and those who have never touched a drug, can get along better. By checking ourselves when we’re hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, we can step outside of ourselves for a moment and realize what we need to do to get ourselves into a positive frame of mind.

Granted, “H.A.L.T.” isn’t the answer to all of life’s situations, but you might be surprised to find out how well it works in your own life. It’s simple, but that’s OK — sometimes, it’s the simple things in life that keep addicts clean and all of us sane, just for today.

How to Create a Self-Care and Recovery Practice

Recovery is about so much more than just getting sober. Once we put down the drugs or alcohol, we must find a new way to live. We are undergoing a profound transformational process – one that largely centers on self-care. Also, taking care of your health helps to prevent a reoccurrence or relapse. One of the primary objectives of recovery is to celebrate ongoing, continuous abstinence from drugs and alcohol. You will greatly increase your chances of sobriety when you practice self-care.

Physical Self-Care

Get Up and Get Moving

You don’t have to weight train or run a marathon. A simple walk to the store or an occasional bicycle ride will create “feel-good” endorphins and relieve stress. And remember, exercise and fun are not mutually exclusive. Join a recreational sports league or try surfing. The possibilities are endless.

Get Enough Sleep

Sleep affects our mood and how we view each day. You’re much more inclined to keep a positive attitude during the day after a full night of restful sleep. Although life happens, even after 11 p.m., keeping a regular sleep pattern can be very beneficial, physically and emotionally.

Proper Eating Habits

In recovery, it may be tempting to swap old bad habits with new ones, such as eating junk food. However, eating well will give you more energy and promote a positive outlook on life.

Mental Self-Care

Practice Mindfulness

You hear a lot about mindfulness in recovery, but what does being mindful really mean? Mindfulness is the practice is being aware of physical and mental sensations. Staying in the present moment can be difficult, and even uncomfortable at times. Sticking with the thoughts and feelings you’re experiencing in the moment gives you a chance to get in touch with what’s really going on inside you, and allows you to explore emotions and thoughts that you avoided when you were in active addiction.

Practice Compassionate Self-Care and Recovery

When developing compassion, it’s typically easiest to start with yourself. Even if you don’t like yourself very much, at least you genuinely desire your own happiness. Many people struggle with guilt and shame as they try to recover from addiction and developing self-compassion will definitely help with that.

Practice Forgiveness

As you work to correct your wrongs, be gentle on yourself, and try to do good for others whom you may have hurt in the past. Sometimes all you have to do is ask for forgiveness. If you can speak with those who you hurt when actively addicted to drugs or alcohol, ask if they can forgive you. Be careful of your actions and only speak to those who would not be hurt more by your presence or communication.You should also continue to work on forgiving yourself – remember you are still learning and that patience is very important in the recovery journey. Be patient with yourself, allow yourself grace and forgiveness as you heal.

Emotional and Social Self-Care

Social Situations

Relationships are important and social self-care means taking time to nurture the relationships you have. You may practice social self-care by spending quality time with individuals who uplift and support you. These people can be your friends, family or even your sponsor. If you’re trying to escape negative social circles that don’t support your sobriety and recovery, social self-care might mean looking outwards to create new, meaningful friendships and connections. A few ways to do this may be to join a 12 step recovery group, volunteer at special events or sign up for new activities.

Emotional

Emotional self-care is important for both your internal and external health. You can take care of your emotional well-being by processing and verbalizing feelings with trusted confidants. You can also release negative emotions through an expressive art form, such as listening to music, singing, drawing or dancing. It also helps to avoid situations and people that cause you undue emotional distress, practice setting boundaries, and learn to be in touch with your thoughts and feelings. Release your emotions rather than bottling them in. You can move through painful experiences that may otherwise cause you to suffer.

Self Care and recovery Boundaries

Before getting sober, you probably had a group of people you spent a lot of time with that either encouraged your drug and alcohol use or used with you. When you make the decision to get sober, it can affect the relationships you have with those people. As difficult as it is, cutting off communication with these people is going to help you resist the temptation to go back to using your drug of choice. Self-care is about protecting yourself and your sobriety.

Being open about the fact that you’re living a sober lifestyle is important because it lets people around you know that you aren’t going to be drinking or using drugs with them anymore. Setting boundaries regarding who you spend time with, where you go, and what you do will help you avoid situations that could set you up for a relapse. In sobriety, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to form new relationships with people who are also in recovery!

We Are in This Together – Self-Care and Recovery

Addiction is isolating, but you are not alone. Do not be afraid to ask for help. Recovery is a lifelong process, and there will be challenges throughout your recovery. Take the first step toward freeing yourself from the chains of addiction, and contact us at Harmony Recovery Center.

Meditation Therapy for Substance Abuse

Over the past few decades, a progressive trend in healthcare has been including alternative or holistic recovery center methods into more conventional therapies. Today, many holistic techniques are currently being used in rehab centers across the nation. Treatment centers that offer holistic addiction treatment use meditation, exercise, and nutrition to help patients overcome their addiction. Today we are going to take a closer look at meditation therapy for substance abuse, and how this DIY treatment can improve your chances of maintaining sobriety and living the best life possible.

Rewiring an Addicted Brain with Meditation Therapy for Substance Abuse

No matter what substance you use, if you do it regularly, some changes leading to addiction inevitably occur in your brain. To rewire an addicted brain, you need to undergo a treatment process that will heal not only the body, but the mind as well. Reaching abstinence is a big victory. But the struggle will continue as you will face triggering situations in your life. Fortunately, there is a method that can help you stop reacting to such triggers.

This method is called meditation. For thousands of years, meditation has been an important spiritual practice in many cultures. However, meditation can be practiced apart from any religious beliefs, and many people today use it for a variety of ways it can support well-being. In the world of addiction recovery, meditation can help people establish a healthy balance that supports sobriety.

The brain is the only organ specifically designed to be shaped by experience and practice, much like a muscle gets stronger with exercise. In the past, when we repeatedly engaged in the thoughts and behaviors that propel addiction, we unknowingly shaped our brain in ways that worked against us and prevented us from being mindful.

Mindfulness exercises empower us to intentionally reshape our brain in ways that bring greater control, awareness, and happiness to our life.

There are HOW many ways to meditate?

According to Headspace, experienced meditators agree: a daily meditation therapy for substance abuse practice can have significant benefits for mental and physical health. But one thing they probably won’t agree on? The most effective types of meditation. That’s simply because it’s different for everyone. After all, there are literally hundreds of meditation techniques encompassing practices from different traditions, cultures, spiritual disciplines, and religions. There’s not a universally accepted “best” or “most effective” type; rather, it is our individual preference that helps us choose the one (or ones) that works best for us.

Three Common Elements of All Meditation

Most types of meditation have three common components that are the key to their effectiveness.

An attention to the present moment. Detaching from thoughts about the future and the past allows you to reconnect with the world around you and your own body.
Relaxation balanced with focus. When the body and mind are relaxed and present, new insights and ideas will flow to your awareness.
A non-judgmental attitude towards others and yourself. Practicing non-judgment allows you to see yourself and the world with compassion and clarity.

Mindfulness Meditation

Though this technique is one of the simplest, it’s still very effective. The goal is to reinforce your awareness and observe your thoughts and sensations – to do the things addicted people often don’t do. Here’s how you can practice it:

Sit up straight. Your spine, neck, and head should be in one line. Put your hands where they are comfortable (if you’ve tried yoga or stretching, you may feel comfortable in the traditional cross-legged posture).
Close your eyes.
Sit quietly and still. Allow your thoughts and sensations to wander in and out of the body without labeling them as good or bad.
You can open your eyes if you want. But you should direct them a few feet in front of the body, fixing your gaze on a fixed object on the ground.
If you stop focusing on your thoughts and concentrate on your breath or some object, you are doing everything right. Now you can proceed to the next technique.

Breathing Meditation

The purpose of breathing meditation therapy for substance abuse is to calm the mind and develop inner peace. It’s easy to practice:

Sit in the same position as for the first technique and close your eyes.
Concentrate on your breath. Inhale deeply and exhale slowly.
Relax the muscles. Take the energy your brain spends on thinking about your cravings and divert it toward your body.
Pay careful attention to breathing. Feel how air is coming in and out through your nostrils.
If some thoughts start to distract you, return to your breathing.

The Benefits of Meditation Therapy for Substance Abuse

Studies investigating the link between substance use and meditation are ongoing. Recent evidence found mindfulness-based interventions like meditation could reduce the consumption of alcohol, cocaine and amphetamines. Mindfulness practice may also reduce the risk of relapse, as it teaches the practitioner coping methods for discomfort such as drug cravings or the negative effects of substances.

When we practice meditation, especially mindfulness, we train in remaining present and recognizing all feelings, from discomfort to joy, with equanimity and goodwill. And then we let them pass. This is one way meditation helps people work with addiction. Research confirms that meditation has been proven to counter addiction issues especially when combined with psychological methods, as in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Mindfulness-based practices can also be very effective in helping prevent relapse. Guided meditation is also recommended.

In general, meditation helps promote a sense of inner peace and calm, increases self-awareness, improves mental functioning, and helps the person detach from thoughts and impulses, which can help reduce cravings and prevent relapse.

Meditation can provide a person in recovery with numerous psychological and physical benefits, such as:

Decreased blood pressure: Studies suggest meditating can lower the blood pressure of those at risk for hypertension.
Immune system enhancement: A mindful meditation program may improve immune system functioning.
Pain relief: Meditation can decrease subjective pain ratings in practicing individuals.
Anxiety relief: Meditative techniques can help individuals control anxiety.
Stress management: Meditation can produce small to moderate improvements in stress levels.
Reduction in depressive symptoms: Some evidence suggests improvement of depression in those practicing meditation.
Better sleep: Studies suggest meditation may enhance sleep in insomniacs.

Our Approach To Holistic Addiction Treatment

By employing various types of treatment therapies, patients become educated about their addiction and the underlying factors that had fueled it. These holistic and comprehensive approaches to healing allow each patient the knowledge to succeed in conquering their triggers and help them lead a lifestyle of sobriety.

Our team here at Harmony Ridge Recovery Center believes in empowering our patients living with addiction and providing each of them with the time needed to restore their confidence and trust.

We strive to transform our patients into the positive, happy, and healthy people that they always were, but had got lost at some point. Meditation therapy for substance abuse helps us achieve this. Our treatment specialist’s purpose is to help those who are struggling with addiction in getting back on the right track!

Our comprehensive-holistic approach to addiction therapy includes:

24-hour medical supervision and care
Adventure therapy
Aftercare and transition planning
Art therapy
Biofeedback therapy
Career and education assistance
Cognitive behavioral therapy
In-house gym time and sports activities
Job placement and interview preparation
Legal assistance for probation and court-ordered treatment management
Recreational activities (hiking, biking, kayaking, gaming/arcades, pool time, fishing)

Meditation Therapy for Substance Abuse with Harmony Ridge

If you or a loved one could benefit from holistic addiction treatment along with other complementary forms of therapy, don’t hesitate any longer. Contact us today at Harmony Ridge Recovery Center and allow our team to get you the answers you need to make a life-changing choice!

How Pets Help Recovery

Pets are forever faithful and grateful just to be in your presence. Knowing there’s someone at home waiting just to be loved makes a person feel needed like nothing else can. But being at home to love and adore a family isn’t the only place where these four-legged friends find purpose. Animals of every size are changing the face of addiction treatment for many who struggle with substance use. Are you wondering how pets help recovery? Pets help addiction recovery and can help keep you on course to a successful sobriety.

Addiction is isolating and for those who suffer with a co-occurring mental health disorder, such as PTSD or depression, the feelings of loneliness can be devastating. For the best success in recovery, it is recommended you stay away from old friends who use drugs or alcohol and make many lifestyle changes. But how do you spend your free time? Companion animals and pets can be beneficial and therapeutic in addiction recovery. Read on to learn how pets help recovery.

The Natural Anti-Stress Remedy

Most pet owners are clear about the immediate joys that come with sharing their lives with companion animals. However, many of us remain unaware of the physical and mental health benefits that can also accompany the pleasure of snuggling up to a furry friend. It’s only recently that studies have begun to scientifically explore the benefits of the human-animal bond.

Interacting with animals has been shown to decrease levels of cortisol (a stress-related hormone) and lower blood pressure. Other studies have found that animals can reduce loneliness, increase feelings of social support, and boost your mood. But above all else, having a pet around can dramatically reduce our feelings of stress and anxiety.

An estimated 68% of U.S. households have a pet. But who benefits from an animal? And which type of pet brings health benefits? Scientists are looking at what the potential physical and mental health benefits are for different animals—from fish to guinea pigs to dogs and cats.

While people with pets often experience the greatest health benefits, a pet doesn’t necessarily have to be a dog or a cat. Even watching fish in an aquarium can help reduce muscle tension and lower pulse rate.

Pets Help Recovery – A Healthy Lifestyle Change

Adopting a pet while you’re in recovery for a substance use or mental health disorder can be advantageous, both to you and the animal. It can essentially improve your overall mood, slake your loneliness, and give you a sense of purpose while lowering the chances of drug and alcohol abuse. Adopting healthy lifestyle changes plays an important role in easing the burden of addiction and recovery, and this is how pets help recovery the best.

Increasing exercise. Who has recently told themself, ”I should go for more walks.”? Taking a dog for a walk, hike, or run are fun and rewarding ways to fit healthy daily exercise into your schedule. Studies have shown that dog owners are far more likely to meet their daily exercise requirements—and exercising every day is great for the animal as well. It will deepen the connection between you, eradicate most behavior problems in dogs, and keep your pet fit and healthy.

Providing companionship. Companionship can help prevent illness and even add years to your life, while isolation and loneliness can trigger symptoms of depression. Caring for a live animal can help make you feel needed and wanted, and take the focus away from your problems, especially if you live alone. Most dog and cat owners talk to their pets, some even use them to work through their troubles. And nothing beats loneliness like coming home to a wagging tail or purring cat.

Helping you meet new people. Pets can be a great social lubricant for their owners, helping you start and maintain new friendships. Dog owners frequently stop and talk to each other on walks, hikes, or in a dog park. Pet owners also meet new people in pet stores, clubs, and training classes.

Reducing anxiety. The companionship of an animal can offer comfort, help ease anxiety, and build self-confidence for people anxious about going out into the world. Because pets tend to live in the moment—they don’t worry about what happened yesterday or what might happen tomorrow—they can help you become more mindful and appreciate the joy of the present. Pets help recovery by keeping you present and actively always reducing the anxiety felt.

Adding structure and routine to your day. Many pets, especially dogs, require a regular feeding and exercise schedule. Having a consistent routine keeps an animal balanced and calm—and it can work for you, too. No matter your mood—depressed, anxious, or stressed—one plaintive look from your pet and you’ll have to get out of bed to feed, exercise, and care for them.

Give you a sense of purpose. If you underwent treatment for a substance use or mental health disorder — or both — YOU were the focus of that treatment. Even if you were encouraged and motivated by loved ones to stick with the program, you ultimately had to shift your attention on yourself to get better. You had a goal to achieve, and a purpose to fulfill. Perhaps it was that purpose that fueled your journey to recovery. Adopting a pet can give you that same sense of purpose because you can give an animal a second chance at life, and even save their life (while letting one save yours).

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute reports that:

74 percent of pet owners said having a pet improved their mental health
75 percent of pet owners reported a friend’s or family member’s mental health has improved from pet ownership
83 percent of baby boomers and 82 percent of greatest (aka silent) generation individuals reported more personal experience with mental health improvements from pets than millennials (62 percent) and generation X (72 percent)

Which Pet to Choose?

Most people probably think of dogs first when the topic of therapy animals comes up. As for which animals usually participate in recovery for substance abuse (or any other mental health disorder), it’s true that dogs do take the lead. Canines have been bred to serve alongside humans, so their temperament and that they can be trained to be obedient make them ideal therapy animals. It should be noted that using dogs for addiction treatment — or any other animal, for that matter — isn’t likely to remedy the substance use disorder. Rather, animal-assisted therapy can be a fine complement to the treatment process.

The most common therapy animals are dogs and horses, but other animals such as cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and birds may also be beneficial in addiction treatment. There are even reports of people using ducks and llamas for animal-mediated addiction treatment. There is no specific research that compares the effectiveness of different animals in people with substance use disorders. Researchers believe most therapy animals are equally effective in how pets help recovery.

Other Ways Pets Help Recovery

By simply spending time with animals you can get some of the same benefits of pet ownership. One of the best ways to do this is volunteer at a local animal shelter. By volunteering, you not only get to reap the benefits of experiencing animals’ playfulness and unconditional acceptance, but you can also feel good about supporting an organisation in your community. You will meet new people and also learn how to manage the responsibility of being a volunteer — others will be relying on you to show up when you say you are going to. Helping others is great for your recovery and will give you a sense of purpose.

Volunteering at an animal shelter can also be a great way to transition to pet ownership when you are ready. Engaging with friends’ pets, or even seeking out specialised animal assisted therapy, such as equestrian therapy where you work with horses and their owners, are other ways you can bring animals and their love and healing into your life and addiction recovery.

The Help You Need for Addiction Recovery

Our team here at Harmony Ridge Recovery Center believes in empowering our patients living with addiction and providing each of them with the time needed to restore their confidence and trust. We strive to transform our patients into the positive, happy, and healthy people that they always were, but had got lost at some point. Our treatment specialist’s purpose is to help those who are struggling with addiction in getting back on the right track!
If you or a loved one could benefit from holistic addiction treatment along with other complementary forms of therapy, don’t hesitate any longer. Contact us today at Harmony Ridge Recovery Center and allow our team to get you the answers you need to make a life-changing choice!